


The Red Strings of Fate

by Queenie18



Category: Shadowhunters (TV), The Shadowhunter Chronicles - All Media Types
Genre: Alec POV, Ambiguous/Open Ending, Angst, F/M, M/M, Red String of Fate, Soulmate AU, Time Skips, Unrequited Love, mentions of depression
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-29
Updated: 2020-05-29
Packaged: 2021-03-02 21:47:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,214
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24433801
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Queenie18/pseuds/Queenie18
Summary: No one knows Alec can see the strings. It’s a power he doesn’t wish he had. Because he could cut that fragile, glowing red string and he could alter fates with a single breath. He doesn’t, of course, but the knowledge he could? It’s terrifying.So he waits for the day when Magnus has the revelation that Camille is not for him. And Alec would be there, arms stretched to welcome him home.But fate is fucked up. He doesn’t know why he expected any different.—Or a soulmate AU where life is cruel and Malec is not always endgame.P.S. I WROTE THIS DRUNK, IGNORE THE MISTAKES.
Relationships: Magnus Bane/Alec Lightwood, Magnus Bane/Camille Belcourt
Comments: 39
Kudos: 169





	The Red Strings of Fate

Alec is one of those lucky few who can see the red strings that lead to soulmates.

Well lucky is subjective when his fucking leads to Magnus, who was both his best friend, love of his life and the man dating the beautiful Camille Belcourt.

And well, Alec gets it. He does, he really does. But at the same time, he doesn’t. Because _Magnus and him?_ They’re supposed to be forever.

And Alec has had to watch the man he loved fall for someone who wasn’t his.

That was fine. _It was all fine._ Because soulmates always end up together and when they don’t, they visit those who can see the strings and they ask who their soulmate is.

No one knows Alec can see the strings. It’s a power he doesn’t wish he had. Because he could cut that fragile, glowing red string and he could alter fates with a single breath. He doesn’t, of course, but the knowledge he could? It’s terrifying.

So he waits for the day when Magnus has the revelation that Camille is not for him. And Alec would be there, arms stretched to welcome him home.

But fate is fucked up. He doesn’t know why he expected any different.

It was fine. It was food day. Alec was at home, drinking wine by himself, watching some stupid show Magnus liked.

Because frankly he lives to make him happy, as stupid as it is.

But then his doorbell rang out. And Alec stood up to answer it with a grumble under his breath and heavy feet. This was his one rare day off from the force, so he really hoped it wasn’t an emergency.

He was tired to be honest.

Only when he opened it, Magnus stood there with a careful smile and glinting gold eyes that managed to stop and start Alec’s heart all at once.

He was just always so beautiful. He had been from the moment Alec had bumped into him on his first day of high school. But as an adult, with kohl around his eyes and primed hair and glittery clothes - he is breathtaking.

And there, in the center of his chest, where his heart lies - is a single, thin piece of thread that trails from him and ends at Alec. It’s taunt, tight and it flickers and glows.

Somehow it still manages to break and heal his heart just like the first time he realised he could see when he turned sixteen.

Alec blinked and snapped out of the thought when he realised Magnus was talking. He really shouldn’t be so obvious, he’s an idiot, and his situation is shit. And well, Camille is the literal devil - so there is that.

“Sorry.” Alec winced and stepped away from the door with a sheepish grin andlet Magnus walk in, as confident as always. “I’m just tired.”

Magnus snickered and patted his chest in good nature as he passed. “You need more sleep darling. You just don’t listen.”

_Well._ Alec tries to ignore how warm he feels when Magnus accidentally touched their string and he thinks _how can you miss this? Can’t you feel how I tingle when I touch you? Why can’t you see me standing in front of you?_

Alec grinds his teeth and ignores those thoughts and slumps into the couch where Magnus sits. That’s when he notices Magnus looked nervous. He is too upright, and he isn’t making eye contact. No he’s not just nervous, scared almost.

Suddenly Alec isn’t too fond of where this conversation is going.

“Are you okay, Mags?” Alec asked quietly and _holy shit,_ his voice almost trembles. “Why are you here?”

Magnus rubs his eyebrow. And Alec knows that’s a nervous habit, because Alec knows Magnus. He knows him so well, and that is like agony to him.

“It’s a strange question.”

Alec shuffles his feet hit answers anyways. “You can ask me anything, you know this.”

Magnus nods because it’s mortifyingly true. Alec had been there when he seeped about his past to him. Alec had washed the makeup off his face after a night out and he had cheered him onto better things in the sidelines.

It’s frankly quite obvious Alec is in love with him.

Which is why the words Magnus speaks feels like pure and utter heartbreak.

“I want to ask Camille to marry me.”

_ Oh. _

_ Well. _

Alec blinks and tries so hard not to scream or cry or breakdown in front of Magnus. Instead he grips his sweatpants with a clenched fist and tries to smile, he tries so hard.

He ignores how that stupid, obnoxious string flickers like a reminder.

“You want to marry her?” Alec said a bit flatly then clears his throat.

Magnus smiles lightly then, and his eyes glow with love. “I do. And well, I don’t have a family, but I have you so I’ve come to ask you for your blessing.”

_ Fuck you fate. _

Alec winces but he keeps on smiling. Good Alec Lightwood. The friend. The brother. The son. The outcast.

And the one who always sacrifices everything for those who he loves. So he hides his pain, he ignores how the ache inside of him is a physical thing. And _he smiles, and smiles, and smiles_ until his cheeks hurt.

“Does she make you happy?” He finally replied because that’s what’s important. Alec had always lived his life for Magnus’ happiness, for his light, his passion, his beauty. Alec Lightwood lives for Magnus Bane.

And Magnus smiles widely and he hums, _fucking hums,_ with that glint in his eyes like stolen sunlight. “She does. I love her so much, Alexander. I can’t imagine my life without her. And I know she’s my soulmate, like they always say. I just know.”

_ Stop bleeding heart. _

_Please,_ he begs to himself. Just stop the hurt.

Alec nods and accepts it. He knows you can only marry your true soulmate. And he knows that he would die for Magnus. _And this?_ This feels like dying.

Alec reaches out and holds Magnus’ warms hands in his own, ignoring how perfectly his fingers curl around Magnus’, how the cold press of rings feel like home.

And he simply lets every hope and dream for his future go in a single breath.

All for Magnus. It’s always been him.

“Then yes.” Alec squeezes Magnus’ hands and genuinely smiles back at the bright and happy grin Magnus shots him. “You have my blessing. Of course you do, Mags.”

Magnus squeals and they collide in a large hug and Alec silently sobs in his head. He’s breaking down, he’s tearing himself up so much that his heart is in bloody tatters. It’s like Magnus’ perfect hands have come and clawed it up with a pretty smile and twinkling eyes.

“Thank you Alexander.” Magnus mumbles against his neck.

Later, when he’s alone, Alec finally lets out a pained sob. He crumbles to the floor with gasps of air and his hands are shaking when they reach out to that loose thread that feels like a lie in his eyes.

He just stared at the thin, tiny thing in his hands.

And then with a large gulp, he yanks and snaps it in two.

He wonders whether he lost all feeling that day. When he clambers back to his feet, holding the snapped end in his large, calloused hands - he feels Alec Lightwood just drain away.

He had lived his life for Magnus. The sad, pathetic truth is that Alec can’t actually live if it’s not for him.

He winces when he reaches out with that other sense and grips at Camille’s own center. She doesn’t have one, and that’s rare but it happens.

But maybe that’s how it’s meant to be. Maybe Alec was born to let Magnus and Camille find each other. Maybe this their real destiny.

He’ll deny that he was sobbing, tears breaking free when he ties a knot around Camille and tightens it until that constant thrum in him, disappears.

It does, in fact, feel like dying.

When Magnus finally proposes, he cheers and claps with the rest of the friends when Magnus pulls her into a passionate kiss.

When Magnus rambles about her on his bachelor party, Alec smiles alongside him, ignoring, always ignoring, how is brother stares as if he understands.

And in the day of the wedding, Alec never really sees it. He’s gone before she’s finished walking down the alter. He’s always driving away by the time she is handed away in a beautiful, flowing ivory dress. Alec is packing his bag with his heart broken and life lost when they say It do’.

And Alec has disappeared from New York when they walk out as husband and wife.

~*~

Alec never expected to see Magnus again.

He’s _fine._ Life is _fine._ Everything is _fucking fine._

He lives in Australia now. Has for the last seven years. He figured he might as well move as far away as possible as if it would lessen the pain.

(Fun fact, it doesn’t.)

The only people who know where he is are his siblings. And he had begged them, drunk and half mad on the eve of Magnus’ wedding night, when they called to see where the hell he was - not to say a word.

And it’s all _fine._ It is.

Until Magnus stumbled into his favourite bar as Alec let alcohol do all his thinking.

And hadn’t he been beautiful? He doesn’t shine with glitter, and his hair is flat and his face is bare. He’s dressed so dark, like Alec always had, he might as well been attending a funeral.

If Alec drank a couple more shots, he might make a joke about the death of his heart and always dressing like he’s depressed.

Which, sadly, wasn’t too far off. The pills say that much.

But somehow - Magnus was still the most stunning, breathtaking and gorgeous man he had ever seen. And he had taken all of Alec’s heart and crumbled it under his lovely, delicate hands.

Magnus saw him immediately. He just stared, said nothing then stormed over to Alec with the most pissed off face he could muster - his lips pinched and brows furrowed.

He heaved himself into the stool next to Alec, and gestures to the bartender for a drink. And Alec just takes in the face he’s missed in the seven years he’s lived here.

Up close, his eyes look dull. They don’t sparkle, they don’t glimmer. They look so lifeless Alec wonders whether if he’s the only one suffering in pain and agony.

When Magnus turns to face with him with a raised eyebrow and flat look, Alec snorts and raises his shot glass with mock enthusiasm and chucks the thing back.

_ It doesn’t even burn. _

“You weren’t there.” Magnus states flatly.

Alec just rolls his eyes and points aggressively at the glass when he makes eye contact with the bartender. “You have to be more specific, I’m afraid. I’m not there for a wide range of things.”

And it’s sadly true. He goes back, sometimes, but Alec had lived so much for others all his life that he feels _done._

“My wedding.” Magnus just says, like it’s easy. “You weren’t there. You left.”

Alec giggles and points at himself. “No shit Sherlock.”

Magnus is undeterred. “Why.”

Alec shots the bartender a smile when he puts down another shot glass. Alec picks it with fake bravado and downs it too. 

And he ignores Magnus’ question as he sighs at that deadly glare. They once knew each other so well. _AlecandMagnus_ were the duo act. It’s was them both or no one. 

_ Now look at them. _

“Did you know that after five years of marriage, I went to visit a woman who could see the strings.” Magnus explains with that defeated, flat voice.

Alec raises an eyebrow. Even now, as tipsy as he is, he can’t ignore the glowing strings that overlap and twist around each other. Some are dulled and black, death. And Magnus’ still glows strong.

Alec tries to look away from it. Apparently he fails because Magnus’ gaze is caught where Alec had briefly looked, at the dead center of Magnus’ heart.

And when he looks at Alec, it’s accusing.

“So you can see.”

_ It’s not a question. _

And like a brat, Alec only shrugs in return.

Magnus growls and leans closer. “And do you want to know what she said?” Alec shakes his head because he doesn’t, not ever, as reminders suck. “She said mine was cut and tampered with. Camille wasn’t ever my soulmate.”

And Alec gulps and looks away from that non glittery face and flat eyes as he tells himself it was the right thing.

_ It was. It was. It was. _

He sneaks a look back. There is exhaustion in Magnus’ face. It lines the underside of his eyes with great purple bags and it’s there in the heavy stare of those gold eyes.

Alec knows it. Because he feels it too.

On instinct, he looks down at Magnus’ hand. And it’s bare. It’s so fucking bare.

There’s none of his jewellery.

And there’s no wedding ring.   
  
_“Who is my soulmate, Alec?”_

Alec looks at that painfully blank finger and doesn’t know what to say.

**Author's Note:**

> I. NEED. TO. STOP. WRITING. ANGST. OMG.
> 
> I am sorry for this. I hope you enjoyed this anyways, it came to me and I had to write it.
> 
> Comments are appreciated. Come cry with me :,)


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